Panel electrical connectors are typically used to provide electrical connections through a pass-through or feed-through hole from one side of a bulkhead, wall or panel to the other side. Typically, the panel can separate two spaces or areas from each other. For example, a panel or wall can separate an engine compartment from a passenger compartment of a vehicle. One of the areas can be referred to as a module area and another as an outer area. Generally, the module area can simply be the area that has more limited accessibility then the outer area. One example would be a panel that makes up part of an enclosure. The inside of the enclosure could be considered as the module area even though the term module area is not limited to an enclosed space. Accordingly, a panel connector can provide an electrical connection from the outside to the interior of the enclosure. Panel connectors are suitable for use in a wide variety of applications such as for example power generation and supply systems, and aeronautic and automotive applications.
Panel connectors may be configured to lock to the panel and allow removal or unlocking of the connector, or to prevent unlocking or removal from the panel. Some lockable panel connectors can have two parts. A mounting part can be mounted to the panel opening and the connector part can lock with the mounting part. These two-part connectors typically require access to both sides of the panel, which may be difficult especially in the case of cramped enclosures or other module areas. There are also one-piece panel connectors that are configured to interact or mate with the pass-through hole in the panel, which has complementary or interacting locking structures.
For certain uses, the panel connector may include the ability to seal against the panel to prevent dirt, debris or liquid from an exposed side of the panel to enter the other side of the panel. Typically, in order to provide watertight sealing and/or to prevent removal of the panel connector, the connector is made to be installed to the module area side of the panel, which can be referred to as an inside-out installation. In this type of inside-out installation, the connector can be locked against and even sealed to the panel side facing the module area with one of the connector ends extending into the module area and an opposite end extending through the pass-through hole into the other or outer area. With inside-out installations for connectors having an end passing through the panel opening and extending towards the outer area for mating with a push-in or plug-in type connector, pushing against the panel connector from the outer area can cause the panel connector to be pushed out of engagement with the panel and/or can diminish the integrity of the seal between the panel connector and the panel. Inside-out installation also tends to be difficult and/or time consuming mostly due to the tight spaces involved.